Madison Mathews

Visitors of Jonesborough’s newly opened Chester Inn Museum will soon have a place to park near the museum as they take in its displays and enjoy the shops and restaurants in town after the Jonesborough Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved a resolution Monday night to create a parking zone near in the inn.
The board voted to create no more than three one-hour parking spaces near the inn, in addition to keeping a spot for the horse and carriage that operates downtown.
The initial resolution was to create a 20-minute parking zone, but the board decided that more time was needed in order for visitors to take in the full experience of the museum and downtown Jonesborough.
Jonesborough’s Public Safety Department will work with a consulting engineer to determine the final number of spaces and their exact location downtown.
Also, the board approved a final resolution to establish a property tax relief program for elderly or disabled people.
In August, the property tax rate was raised by 10 cents, taking it from $1.18 to $1.28.
The tax-relief program would benefit anyone age 65 and over who make less than $26,830, or people declared totally or permanently disabled making less than $26,830.
The state allows local governments to create a tax relief program that matches the state program as long as the amount of the relief does not exceed the total tax liability.
The estimated cost of providing additional tax relief through Jonesborough is $8,000.
The board also authorized the allocation of $12,000 from undesignated reserves to begin reassembling the Chuckey Depot, which was removed from its original location during the summer.
Town of Jonesborough operations manager Craig Ford estimated the depot would take about five or six months to construct. It will be placed somewhere near the downtown area.
Alderwoman Mary Gearhart was absent from the meeting due to suffering a mild stroke last week, according to Mayor Kelly Wolfe.
“We certainly hope and pray that she makes a speedy recovery, but even when she was in the hospital, she was planning on coming to the meeting, so that’s the kind of public servant you got in Jonesborough,” he said.